January 31, 2023

Preview: Americans host Swift Current Broncos for first time since 2018

GAME DAY PREVIEW

Americans vs Broncos

Wednesday, February 1 | Kennewick, WA | Toyota Center

Start Time: 7:05 p.m. PDT

The Swift Current Broncos will visit the Toyota Center tonight for the first time since January 2018, when the Broncos took a 3-2 overtime victory led by a pair of goals from Aleksi Heponiemi. The two teams last met in Swift Current on February 19, 2020, when the Ams took a 5-1 victory. The only players on Tri-City’s current roster that were in the lineup that night are Parker Bell, Marc Lajoie, and Jake Sloan (who made his WHL debut and recorded an assist that night).

Tri-City picked up a 3-2 victory over the Everett Silvertips on Sunday, completing a three-in-three weekend sweep. The Ams are now securely in fourth place in the the Western Conference, four points ahead of Everett with two games in hand.

Reese Belton, Ethan Ernst, and Jalen Luypen each scored for Tri-City on Sunday. Luypen notched the game-winning goal in all three games last weekend. The Chicago Blackhawks prospect has 17 points (7-10) in 15 games since returning from a lower body injury. Adam Mechura chipped in a pair of assists against the Silvertips. In 7 games since returning from World Juniors, Mechura has two goals and nine assists.

Tomas Suchanek turned aside 32 of 34 shots faced, earning his 10th straight victory including three in three days last weekend.

The Americans have been extra impressive at home this season with a 16-4-1-0 record at the Toyota Center. They haven’t lost a game at home in regulation since November 23rd against Kamloops. Tri-City is 13-0-1-0 at home since that game. Tri-City’s home power play is the best in the WHL with 33.8% success at the Toyota Center.

Record: Tri-City 22-16-4-1 | Swift Current 22-20-1-2

Special Teams

Power Play: Tri-City (53/182) 29.1% | Swift Current (39/175) 22.3%
Penalty Kill: Tri-City (52/180) 71.1% | Swift Current (50/229) 78.2%

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Around the Concourse:

Jersey Auction: #60 Lemonnier (section D)

Gesa Autograph Booth: Deagan McMillan signing after the game (section J)